Culture

Sir John Soane's Museum

This is, without a doubt, the city’s most atmospheric museum, packed to the rafters with hundreds of interesting and impressive artworks and artifacts. Go curious, as the walls give way to secret rooms the unobservant might miss.

TL;DR

Living museum

The collection

The exhibits

The eats and drinks

Best for

Our Review

Zoom out. What’s this place all about?This is, without a doubt, the city’s most atmospheric museum. The architect and collector’s home on Lincoln’s Inn Fields is packed to the rafters with hundreds of interesting and impressive artworks and artifacts.

Ye shall know them by their permanent collection: How was it?The collection is pretty much whatever took Sir John Soane's eye, positioned in the place it looked best—so don’t go looking for order. Instead, go curious, because walls give way to secret rooms and the unobservant might miss the Canaletto, or the 3,000 year old sarcophagus of Seti I.

What did you make of the crowd?The house is not the secret it used to be, so unless you go first thing, you will probably need to queue. The candlelit evening opening on the last Friday of the month is especially popular.

On the practical tip, how were facilities?The Grade 1, listed 19th-Century building isn’t particularly wheelchair friendly. Disabled visitors are advised to call ahead and staff will make arrangements—there is a platform lift to allow access to all the floors and borrowable custom-built wheelchairs to allow access down the narrowest of the corridors.

Any guided tours worth trying?The daily highlights tours are led by unbelievably informative guides and cost a reasonable $18. From Wednesday to Sunday there is also a free daily tour of the apartment where Soane lived and slept.

Is the café worth a stop, or should we just plan on going elsewhere?There’s an uninteresting but completely acceptable Benugo coffee across the street.

Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged?The museum is small but there’s mountains to see—you’ll need 90 minutes, at least.